The inclusive dates of the conference are 8–13 March 2018. Therefore, the suggested arrival date is 7 March 2018 and suggested departure date is 14 March 2018. Alternatively, participants could depart on 13 March 2018 in the late evening, if flights permit, as the sending service finishes at 18:00. Participants who have been invited to attend pre-conference or post-conference meetings should plan their travel accordingly.

The CWME Commission Meeting will take place on 14 March 2018, directly following the conference; therefore, CWME commissioners should plan to depart only after 18:00 on 14 March 2018.

Registration and Attendance: Please assure that you have indicated your complete travel details on your online registration form by the 31st December 2017 (If you travel booking is not finalised then please indicate your intended arrival and departure dates).Without your travel details we are unclear if you will attend or not and thus unable to reserve accommodation for your stay. We kindly ask that if you are unable to attend the conference that you inform us by sending an email to wmc2018@wcc-coe.org

Travel Participants should plan travel to arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). Participants who are subsidized by the CWME will either be sent their ticket from Delta Voyages in Geneva or will be reimbursed for their own ticket purchase up to the value of a reasonably priced economy fare ticket. For security reasons, there will be no cash reimbursements on site and thus reimbursements will be made by bank transfer only. A travel agent from Delta Voyages will be available for consultation on 9–13 March 2018. Location and office times will be posted at the information desk, and you can contact Delta Voyages at cwme2018-travel@delta-voyages.ch.

VisaMost nationalities will require a tourist visa to enter Tanzania, which, in most cases, can be obtained upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. For a small number of nationalities, a “referred visa” is required and must be obtained prior to travelling. Please check your visa requirements with a local travel agent or by following this link: http://www.tanzaniaconsul.com/visa.html.

Additionally, participants should assure that their passport is valid for at least six months following the departure date from Tanzania. Persons whose passport nationality is different from the country in which they reside may be asked for proof that they are a legal resident of that country, i.e., asked to show a residency permit. The cost of a tourist visa is USD 50 or USD 100 for US passport holders. Please assure that you have sufficient US dollars to purchase your visa upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. For more information on visas, please visit: http://www.tanzaniaconsul.com/visa.html.

To facilitate your travel and entry visa upon arrival in Tanzania, all participants will be sent (via the CWME Office in Geneva) an invitation letter from our hosts, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania. Please ensure that you have this letter on your person upon arrival as it indicates the address of the hotel where you will be staying — information that you will need not only to complete the immigration entry form, but also to show to our host reception committee so that they can help you onto the correct bus for the hotel where you will reside.

VaccinationsIn general, visitors to Tanzania do not require vaccinations, although some are recommended. Yellow fever vaccine is encouraged if you are staying a long time or will be heavily exposed to mosquitoes — i.e., travelling on safari in the Serengeti. The government of Tanzania does require, however, proof of yellow fever vaccination upon arrival if you have travelled from or have recently visited a country with risk of yellow fever. For more information, please see https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/clinician/none/tanzania.

Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and Local Transportation

Our Local Host Committee from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) will ensure that all participants are met upon arrival and that transport is provided to take them to their respective hotels, as well as from the hotels back to the airport (JRO) following the conference. Please ensure that you have your invitation letter on your person upon arrival, as this will greatly assist our Local Host Committee in identifying the hotel you are staying at and the shuttle you should take. The ELCT will also provide transport for each day of the meeting to ferry passengers to and from their hotel to the conference centre.

Accommodation and CateringThe CWME will reserve a “conference package” for all registered participants. The conference package includes: room and breakfast (either at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge & Conference Centre or at a hotel [see hotel list below] in Arusha); access to the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge & Conference Centre; lunch and dinner; tea/coffee breaks; and all transportation costs. The cost of the conference package is USD 170 per day plus 18 percent value added tax (VAT). Additional persons who share a room and attend the conference will be charged USD 100 per day plus 18 percent VAT. Participants are asked to pay all their personal expenses at checkout, i.e., laundry, newspapers, drinks, etc.

Participants who are self-payers, and/or nominating bodies, will be sent an invoice in due course for the conference package cost for themselves, and/or for their attending nominated participants.

InternetWi-Fi is available at the Ngurdoto Lodge. Please ask at the information desk for the code. Participants should ensure that they bring their own converters or adaptors for their phones, laptops, etc., as these are not available at the lodge.

Language PolicyPlenary sessions will take place in English, French, and Spanish with interpretation of the three languages.Headsets will be handed out upon entering a session.The table groups will be by language, i.e., English, French, and Spanish.

DocumentationThe following documentation will be available for the participants:

From Achimota to Arusha: An Ecumenical Journey of Mission in Africa (English only).

Safety and Security in Arusha

Tanzania is in general a safe, hassle-free country. That being said, you do need to take the usual precautions and keep up with government travel advisories. As you would in any large city, please undertake the following precautions:

Avoid isolated areas, especially isolated stretches of road. In cities and tourist areas, take a taxi at night.

Only take taxis from established taxi ranks or hotels. Never enter a taxi that already has someone else in it other than the driver.

Be wary of anyone who approaches you on the street, at the bus station, or in your hotel offering safari deals or claiming to know you.

Carry your passport, money, and other documents in a pouch against your skin, hidden under loose-fitting clothing, or store valuables in your hotel safe.

On-site Conference Registration/Information DeskOn-site registration for the conference will take place at the registration/information desk at the reception of the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge & Conference Centre starting on 7 March 2018 and continuing daily for participants arriving thereafter. Participants will be given their conference badge, which will provide them full access to the conference centre including its restaurants for lunch and dinner, as well as a conference bag containing the Conference Handbook, Worship Book, Resource Book, maps, and other relevant information. For security reasons badges must be worn at all times. The registration/information desk will serve as a focal point for general information, distribution of messages, sign-up point for specific activities, lost and found, and the distribution of conference materials, etc.

Currency and CashThe Tanzanian shilling (TZS) is the currency of Tanzania. Shillings can be bought at the airport, banks, and hotels. There are ATM machines at the airport and in downtown Arusha city that issue Tanzanian shillings. The current exchange rate is EUR 1 = TZS 2798.76 or USD 1 = TZS 2250.10 (as of 31 January 2018 ). Please note that there are no ATM machines at Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge & Conference Centre, and for security reasons, there will be no on-site exchange office. The conference centre and hotels accept all major credit cards for personal purchases/charges.

ElectricityThe power sockets are of types D and G. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. In most cases the type G socket (United Kingdom) is used. Participants should ensure that they bring their own converters or adaptors.

WeatherThe temperature in March averages between 25°C and 30°C. It is also the beginning of the monsoon season and thus there will be the possibility of heavy showers. Please remember to pack your rain clothing!

Registration and AttendancePlease ensure that you have indicated your complete travel details on your online registration form. Without your travel details we cannot reserve accommodation for your stay and will assume that you will not attend. We kindly ask that if you are unable to attend the conference you inform us in advance by sending an email to wmc2018@wcc-coe.org.